There was one single thing that I was concerned about before beginning the process of pulling the front strut/spring assembly and cutting the spring. It was the mounting of the upward curving suspension knuckle to the upper A-arm. The upper A-arm has a pressed ball joint. Those are known to spin upon slight loosening...

Yeap, that is EXACTLY what happened. All went well up to that point. Normally, I would use an impact wrench to spin off the fastening nut from ball joints but, in this case there was not enough room for either of my two impact wrenches. Thus, I loosened the 18mm nut with a regular socket but, as soon as the nut started turning, so did the ball joint bolt with it.

Looking at the parts picture, it appears to me that the ball joint shaft that the nut goes onto is straight cut instead of the usual cone-cut. Cone cuts get tighter with the torquing of the nut and that tightness provides the friction during the removal process. Who ever heard of using straight cut ball joint fitting???

I was stumped for a good while, trying all kinds of tricks to at least re-tighten the nut so I could drive the car. No luck, just a spinning nut and ball joint bolt. Finally, I decided to use my 4" high speed disc-cutter to cut a slot into the bottom of the bolt that hangs out below the nut. Using a short and wide screwdriver, I was able to apply enough counter-torque to re-tighten the nut.

I always hated spinning ball joints and, it bit me again today. At least the car is back to normal, torqued correctly. Have to think about how to proceed...

 

Oh man, Jag made nothing is easy on these cars...

 

How did "Cutting The Spring" work out for you?

 

I never got that far, since I could not remove the upper A-arm connection that is needed to swing out the strut. Otherwise, it would be an easy solution, from what I'd seen.

 

I thought using lowering springs would be the best way to lower a car?
Your going to cut the springs?

 

[QUOTE=axr6;969132]I never got that far, since I could not remove the upper A-arm connection that is needed to swing out the strut. Otherwise, it would be an easy solution, from what I'd seen.[

Please try the following:

The very top of the ball joint has a metal concave stop before the curved upper suspension knuckle. the stop touches the bottom of the knuckle

This concave stop, that is part of the ball joint is approximately 2.5cm round

This concave stop can be easily gripped with a long nose narrow vice grip

not much gripping force is needed
once you grip it, the ball joint wont spin again. you wont be able to damage this part of the stop. you wouldnt be able to press the vice grip tight enough to do that

DO NOT use a standard short stubby vice grip, you will just frustrate yourself, and damage the ball joint


my car is a 2013xkr convert. your car is no different

If you still have a problem with this, pm me and I will send a pic of the vice grip I use or we can do this on skype

If you think this is a pain in the ***, Just wait until you get into cutting the spring and refitting it. The cut spring must be fitted to the stop on the tower before you even think about picking up that whizzer wheel

Try not to give up

 

[QUOTE=SoCal Babe;969213]SoCal Babe

Thanks for the help but, are we talking about the same ball joint? Please see #10 on the linked diagram. It is the upper A-arm and I had not seen any kind of stop or any kind of surface that I could have grabbed with any kind of tools.

The bolt is the one at the joining of the two A-arm, the vertical stud/bolt. It fits through the upper hole of the Knuckle (#2) and bolts to it. The curve in the Knuckle would not allow me to fit my impact wrenches.

 

[QUOTE=axr6;969234]I cant find your linked diagram

 

All the lowering springs that I could find on the market lower the car more than what I want. They seem to drop nearly 2", which, IMO, is too much. By cutting the spring I could regulate the drop to my preferred 3/4 to 1".

Besides that, spring is a spring, and if it has a sufficient spring rate to hold up the car at the reduced shock travels, it is as good as any. I am on the opinion that the stock springs are stiff enough, plus when you cut them, you further increase the stiffness. Altogether, a properly cut spring is pretty much exactly the same as an aftermarket spring.

 

[QUOTE=SoCal Babe;969241]That is because I did not attach it. It is my Alzheimer kicking-in again. Sorry.

2012 Jaguar XKR Parts - Direct JPLV Porsche Parts.com

 

[QUOTE=axr6;969242]All the lowering springs that I could find on the market lower the car more than what I want. They seem to drop nearly 2", which, IMO, is too much. By cutting the spring I could regulate the drop to my preferred 3/4 to 1".

Check this out. Spires has springs that lower it 0.8"..
....https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...spacers-95925/

 

[QUOTE=racerxf12004;969257]Interesting, I could have swore that I checked out Spires before. Just checked their website and they do advertise the 20mm springs. Thanks for letting me know, that will be the preferred way to go for me.

Have to get in touch with them regarding the spring rates. I really would not want to increase my stock rates at all, if my choice, but certainly not more than 10-20 percent.

 

[QUOTE=axr6;969260]
look at part 2 then the balljoint, then at top balljoint you will see the silver round line that you atach the picced long jaw pliers to. above that is the part 10. If you still dont see how to do this I will come out there and spank you for not seeing it my way!!!!

if it still doesnt work put a 2x2 piece of wood in between #2 and #10 to put stress on the nut to get it off
Doesnt matter what kind of springs you buy if you cant take it apart. try again, my way

 

[QUOTE=SoCal Babe;969289]All I can say is to quote Barbara Windsor, "Promises, promises!"

 

[QUOTE=agentorange;969300]
How the F*** can you compare me to a chunky butt like Windsor. On top of that she was born in 1947 and I was born in 1976

She comes across as a idiot and a boobed up baffoon that acts like a a 'ho in her shows.

And I never took my clothes off in public, let alone on t.v.

Try to come up with a better comparison

 

[QUOTE=SoCal Babe;969289]WOW!!! SoCal Babe - You have gone through a heck of a lot of trouble to get those pictures just to help me out. I don't quite know how to thank you for your efforts.

After your threat, however, I do feel obligated to say that I still don't see it, just so that you could keep your promise and come and spank me. I provide the whips and the chains

Ok, Ok, I see it now. Does that mean, no spanking

Just fired off an e-mail to Spires regarding their spring rates. I may luck out and get what I want without having to cut my own springs.

 

[QUOTE=axr6;969322]
I dont Advise cuttin the springs. and remember that you need to mark the top of the end cap to the body when you tke the assembly out.

the 4 holes arent the same distance apart. you will have to move the bottom of the shock out approimately 3 cm towards the rotor in order to get enough room to get the studs out of the body.

you can have someone put downward pressure on the rotor to get the assmbly down far enough to pull the bottom of the shock out without disassbling the entire suspension.

remember to disconnect the wires to the top of the shock so they dont get screwed up. Good luck

 

[QUOTE=SoCal Babe;969335]If I get the Spires springs I will just have someone install them. I am not that crazy about working on my cars anymore. Done enough over the decades, particularly when I was racing and basically rebuilt the tranny, and much of the car between racing weekends. Now, I prefer to pay someone to do it. I was going to do the cutting simply because I couldn't find or couldn't trust anyone to do it right. Changing the springs should be routine for any service with Jag experience.

Thanks again!

 

I just want to say listening to SoCal Babe talk that way gives me goose bumps... Yes... I love you

 

Today, the reply from Spires:

"Unfortunately our sport lowering springs are not suitable for XKR 5.0. I currently only offer our coil over system for this model. Sorry!"

Interesting, because their website does list the 2010 5.0 for those springs.